1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a valve; and more particularly, the present invention relates to a combination valve for use in a hydronic heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
An increasing number of today's hydronic HVAC systems utilize variable frequency drives and variable speed pumps. Most such known systems require shut-off and check valves and flow measurement devices that are either permanently or temporarily installed to verify the system flow rate. When permanently installed in a hydronic HVAC system, these known flow measurement devices take up extra space and increase the system head loss. Significant amounts of extra pipe length may be required depending on the type of flow measurement device being used.
When employed, non-permanent means of flow rate measurement can be labor intensive and, depending on the type of technology used, present a varying degree of accuracy, data portability, and opportunities for water leakage.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 9,366,582, which is assigned to the assignee of the present application and hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses one such known combination isolation and check valves. Such known combination isolation and check valves like that disclosed in the '582 patent require that its sensors, e.g., which may include some combination of pressure, temperature or flow rate sensors, be powered using a hardwired power source configuration. However, the use of such a hardwires power source configuration can cause or create numerous issues and disadvantages related to connecting or coupling such hardwired power source to such sensors, as follows:
For example, there is a need for physical access to a hardwired power source at or near the combination valve having such sensors therein to power up. There is also a need to physically run, connect or couple electrical wiring from the hardwired power source to the combination valve. The electrical wiring run from the hardwired power source to the combination of the one or more sensors can cause, or result in, associated electrical wiring clutter. The associated electrical wiring clutter for connecting to such hardwired power sources can cause and create electrical and mechanical safety hazards in the HVAC system as a whole, e.g., especially over time.
By way of further example, since the sensors need to be coupled or connected to the electrical wiring, such electrical couplings or connections used can typically be prone to failure, unreliable in the long run, and can easily be compromised themselves over time, e.g., due to moisture, dirt, ambient atmospheric conditions, and movement, including vibrations associated with certain HVAC applications and/or environments. In addition, such sensors, especially if unsealed (e.g. hermetically), may also be compromised themselves over time, e.g., due to exposure to moisture, dirt and ambient atmospheric conditions that can cause corrosion, e.g., from water and oxygen. Moreover still, such sensors themselves can also be compromised over time due to unexpected and undesirable movement from the electrical wiring, e.g., by being disturbed, pulled, and ripped/broken in any such HVAC application and/or environments. The electrical couplings or connections can also prevent or severely compromise the ability to actually seal such sensors in a moisture-resistant enclosure, especially hermetically, if so desired, since the electrical wiring needs to be run into and through the housing of such sensors to provide power.
All of the aforementioned problems can arise in various HVAC applications, e.g., including residential, commercial or industrial applications and/or environments.
In view of this, there is a need for a better way to provide power to operate combination isolation and check valves having such sensors.